Rejected by BCG after online test

Question

Hi,

I received a rejection email from BCG today after online test.

A little intro about me:

Did a summer intern in Accenture London (received return offer)

Finished a year-long placement in AT&T (data analytics, customer support) - has directly uplifted revenue, point of contact for one of the largest clients in the industry

I think my CV should not be the problem as I received OW and Bain's interview invite.

Shouldn't be the online test as my previous practice results are consistent 17- 20 out of 20 plus I am studying in Top 3 university in a very challenging engineering course in the UK (target uni).

So I want to know where I can improve myself with the help of this community.

Thank you very much in advance!

Answer 1

Hi,

Unfortunately now, due to covid, if the demand for hiring is low, they'll just put the test bar really high. I would suggest applying to the less competitive office next time and use a referral:

There are certain criteria for the referral:

The consultant makes you a reference in the system and uploads your resume. Usually, he has to indicate why he thinks you are a good candidate
You skip some steps in the recruiting process (CV screening at McK, Test at Bain)
The consultant gets a referral bonus ($) if you get a job offer

The conversion to reference will be higher among consultant / manager level people who are still interested in the referral bonus. The basic idea is to ask these people for a mock interview.

Best

Answer 2

Hi there,

I'm sorry to hear that!

In general it comes down to any of the following:

1) Resume

2) Cover Letter

3) Sufficient networking/referral

4) Appropriate experience

These are competitive times so I encourage you to re-apply in 12-18 months...ideally with a referral!

Answer 3

Sorry to hear! COVID has generally increased the bar for applications across firms and offices, so your rejection can be based on a combination of all of the relevant factors (cover letter, CV, online test, or any previous touchpoints with the firm.

Without further details, it is difficult to judge what exactly what the issue(s) were.

Answer 4

Hi there,

The reason for your rejection can literally be anything now due to the Covid-times and lowered intake as a consequence.

You really need to do everything perfectly and, besides, as Vlad said, a referral would not hurt either.

Do you need any further help?

GB

Answer 5

Hi there,

I agree with Vlad, it could be that BCG simply decreased the intake and raised the bar for invitations in your target office. Without additional information or feedback, there is not much you can do to improve on that rather than practice even more for any possible future test.

Best,

Francesco

Answer 6

Hello!

Sorry to hear about that, is indeed frustrating.

Given the CV you comment, the problem must have been the test, almost for sure.

Can you ask for feedback?

Hope it helps

Cheers,

Clara

Answer 7

I just wanted to say that my profile is similar to yours, good CV, PhD from a top UK uni, and the test went well, but I also received rejection. So my thinking is that even one mistake on the test could have affected selection, unfortunately!

Answer 8

Hey mate, i might be late to this but when did you receive your rejection email? How long was it from your game

Answer 9

Hello,

Do you know how long did it take them to get back to you after the test?